via @asiatimesonline

Singapore’s anticipated chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) opened on the weekend with a summit that reaffirmed the city-state’s vision of a “rules-based” regional order but offered a limited view on pressing security matter. The gathering – attended by leaders from all ten of the bloc’s member states – put the promotion of open and free trade rather than boiling territorial disputes and militarization of the South China Sea at the center of its agenda. The dailyReport Must-reads from across Asia - directly to your inbox Some analysts thought Singapore, a traditionally staunch US ally that until recently had lukewarm relations with China, might leverage its chairmanship to put more pressure on Beijing’s perceived expansionist ambitions in the hotly contested maritime area. But China’s recent rapprochement with key claimant states like the Phi...